Sahara Samay News Network's Bijendra Singh talked extensively to Tatiana Kukhareva, International Affairs Expert and Head of Sputnik International.

 

 

Tatiana Kukhareva - This is the most shameless violation of freedom of press we've witnessed. Censoring a respected media organisation in order to stifle a point of view unfavourable to the US government. It is pure hypocrisy and should become a wake up call for the world if it means to hold on to the core democratic values at all.

 

 

Tatiana Kukhareva - The US has been going out of its way in order to maintain the status of the "solo superpower" and the mere effort it is now putting into its attempts to "isolate" Russia is proof of just how much ground Washington has already lost. We can see how the sanctions imposed on Moscow are already backfiring on both the US and the EU and unless these sanctions are overturned - the situation will only aggravate by next winter. In the meantime despite the efforts by America's propaganda machine China is already dominating the US technologically, India is developing and evolving into another regional superpower. And let's not forget the Middle East! And the current tsunami of sanctions imposed on Russia by the West will make the East into an unstoppable power.

 

 

Tatiana Kukhareva - Ukraine is a unique issue: the South-Eastern part of the country has been historically predominantly populated by ethnic Russians, the same people who endured 8 years of slaughter following the referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics. All the while, following an illegal coup in Kiev in 2014, the country was ruled by a regime backed by ultra nationalist formations that strategically annihilated any opposition - including by murdering opposition journalists all through 2014-2015.

 

 

Tatiana Kukhareva - According to the documents made public by Russia's Defence ministry (see attachments) - Ukraine was planning a full blown assault on the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics in march 2022. (https://t.me/rian_ru/152173 part of said documents) Which essentially means that the operation was a pre-emptive move in order to minimise civilian casualties on both ends rather then allowing Kiev unleash its NATO-trained battalions on DNR and LNR and potentially Russia's south as well.

 

Tatiana Kukhareva - Kiev could have been captured in 2 days - it is easy to do unless you try to avoid civilian casualties, which is exactly what Russia has been trying to do this whole time. However, despite claims from the Ukrainian side, the "capture" of Kiev has never been the goal of the operation.

 

Tatiana Kukhareva - When it comes to the ongoing special operation I think the biggest role of Russia-India partnership is in the redefinition of the world economy as a result of the outright full on economic war the US is trying to wage on Moscow. It is also a chance to strengthen said ties between all of the BRICS nations as well as finally put a definite end to the dollar dependency and a US-centered world both economically and geopolitically.